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UPSC Prelims 2023

100 questions, in the order they were asked.

2023 · Q51Indian EconomyHuman Development, Poverty & Employment Schemesmoderate

Consider the following statements in relation to Janani Suraksha Yojana : 1. It is a safe motherhood intervention of the State Health Departments. 2. Its objective is to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality among poor pregnant women. 3. It aims to promote institutional delivery among poor pregnant women. 4. Its objective includes providing public health facilities to sick infants up to one year of age. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. (a)Only one
  2. (b)Only two
  3. (c)Only three
  4. (d)All four
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Official answer(b) Only two

2023 · Q52Indian EconomyHuman Development, Poverty & Employment Schemesmoderate

Consider the following statements in the context of interventions being undertaken under Anaemia Mukt Bharat Strategy : 1. It provides prophylactic calcium supplementation for pre-school children, adolescents and pregnant women. 2. It runs a campaign for delayed cord clamping at the time of child-birth. 3. It provides for periodic deworming to children and adolescents. 4. It addresses non-nutritional causes of anaemia in endemic pockets with special focus on malaria, hemoglobinopathies and fluorosis. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. (a)Only one
  2. (b)Only two
  3. (c)Only three
  4. (d)All four
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Official answer(c) Only three

2023 · Q54Science & TechnologyDefence Technologymoderate

Consider the following actions : 1. Detection of car crash/collision which results in the deployment of airbags almost instantaneously 2. Detection of accidental free fall of a laptop towards the ground which results in the immediate turning off of the hard drive 3. Detection of the tilt of the smart-phone which results in the rotation of display between portrait and landscape mode In how many of the above actions is the function of accelerometer required?

  1. (a)Only one
  2. (b)Only two
  3. (c)All three
  4. (d)None
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Official answer(c) All three

2023 · Q55Science & TechnologyEnergy & Environmentmoderate

With reference to the role of biofilters in Recirculating Aquaculture System, consider the following statements : 1. Biofilters provide waste treatment by removing uneaten fish feed. 2. Biofilters convert ammonia present in fish waste to nitrate. 3. Biofilters increase phosphorus as nutrient for fish in water. How many of the statements given above are correct?

  1. (a)Only one
  2. (b)Only two
  3. (c)All three
  4. (d)None
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Official answer(b) Only two

2023 · Q58Science & TechnologyDefence Technologyeasy

Consider the following statements : 1. Ballistic missiles are jet-propelled at subsonic speeds throughout their flights, while cruise missiles are rocket-powered only in the initial phase of flight. 2. Agni-V is a medium-range supersonic cruise missile, while BrahMos is a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a)1 only
  2. (b)2 only
  3. (c)Both 1 and 2
  4. (d)Neither 1 nor 2
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Official answer(d) Neither 1 nor 2

2023 · Q62GeographyAtmosphere & Climatologymoderate

With reference to the Earth's atmosphere, which one of the following statements is correct?

  1. (a)The total amount of insolation received at the equator is roughly about 10 times of that received at the poles.
  2. (b)Infrared rays constitute roughly two-thirds of insolation.
  3. (c)Infrared waves are largely absorbed by water vapour that is concentrated in the lower atmosphere.
  4. (d)Infrared waves are a part of visible spectrum of electromagnetic waves of solar radiation.
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Official answer(c) Infrared waves are largely absorbed by water vapour that is concentrated in the lower atmosphere.

2023 · Q63GeographyBiogeography & Natural Vegetationmoderate

Consider the following statements : Statement–I : The soil in tropical rain forests is rich in nutrients. Statement–II : The high temperature and moisture of tropical rain forests cause dead organic matter in the soil to decompose quickly. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. (a)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is the correct explanation for Statement–I
  2. (b)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is not the correct explanation for Statement–I
  3. (c)Statement–I is correct but Statement–II is incorrect
  4. (d)Statement–I is incorrect but Statement–II is correct
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Official answer(d) Statement–I is incorrect but Statement–II is correct

2023 · Q64GeographyAtmosphere & Climatologymoderate

Consider the following statements : Statement–I : The temperature contrast between continents and oceans is greater during summer than in winter. Statement–II : The specific heat of water is more than that of land surface. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. (a)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is the correct explanation for Statement–I
  2. (b)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is not the correct explanation for Statement–I
  3. (c)Statement–I is correct but Statement–II is incorrect
  4. (d)Statement–I is incorrect but Statement–II is correct
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Official answer(d) Statement–I is incorrect but Statement–II is correct

2023 · Q65GeographyPhysical Geography & Geomorphologymoderate

Consider the following statements : 1. In a seismograph, P waves are recorded earlier than S waves. 2. In P waves, the individual particles vibrate to and fro in the direction of wave propagation whereas in S waves, the particles vibrate up and down at right angles to the direction of wave propagation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a)1 only
  2. (b)2 only
  3. (c)Both 1 and 2
  4. (d)Neither 1 nor 2
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Official answer(c) Both 1 and 2

2023 · Q68Environment & EcologyClimate Change & Greenhouse Gasesmoderate

Consider the following activities : 1. Spreading finely ground basalt rock on farmlands extensively 2. Increasing the alkalinity of oceans by adding lime 3. Capturing carbon dioxide released by various industries and pumping it into abandoned subterranean mines in the form of carbonated waters How many of the above activities are often considered and discussed for carbon capture and sequestration?

  1. (a)Only one
  2. (b)Only two
  3. (c)All three
  4. (d)None
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Official answer(c) All three

2023 · Q69Science & TechnologyBiotechnology & Geneticseasy

‘Aerial metagenomics’ best refers to which one of the following situations?

  1. (a)Collecting DNA samples from air in a habitat at one go
  2. (b)Understanding the genetic makeup of avian species of a habitat
  3. (c)Using air-borne devices to collect blood samples from moving animals
  4. (d)Sending drones to inaccessible areas to collect plant and animal samples from land surfaces and water bodies
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Official answer(a) Collecting DNA samples from air in a habitat at one go

2023 · Q70Science & TechnologyBiotechnology & Geneticseasy

‘Microsatellite DNA’ is used in the case of which one of the following?

  1. (a)Studying the evolutionary relationships among various species of fauna
  2. (b)Stimulating ‘stem cells’ to transform into diverse functional tissues
  3. (c)Promoting clonal propagation of horticultural plants
  4. (d)Assessing the efficacy of drugs by conducting series of drug trials in a population
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Official answer(a) Studying the evolutionary relationships among various species of fauna

2023 · Q71Indian EconomyInfrastructure & Industrymoderate

Consider the following statements with reference to India : 1. According to the ‘Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006’, the ‘medium enterprises’ are those with investments in plant and machinery between ₹15 crore and ₹25 crore. 2. All bank loans to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises qualify under the priority sector. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a)1 only
  2. (b)2 only
  3. (c)Both 1 and 2
  4. (d)Neither 1 nor 2
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Official answer(b) 2 only

2023 · Q72Indian EconomyDigital Payments & Financial Inclusionmoderate

With reference to Central Bank digital currencies, consider the following statements : 1. It is possible to make payments in a digital currency without using US dollar or SWIFT system. 2. A digital currency can be distributed with a condition programmed into it such as a time-frame for spending it. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a)1 only
  2. (b)2 only
  3. (c)Both 1 and 2
  4. (d)Neither 1 nor 2
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Official answer(c) Both 1 and 2

2023 · Q73Indian EconomyFinancial Markets & Capital Marketseasy

In the context of finance, the term ‘beta’ refers to

  1. (a)the process of simultaneous buying and selling of an asset from different platforms
  2. (b)an investment strategy of a portfolio manager to balance risk versus reward
  3. (c)a type of systemic risk that arises where perfect hedging is not possible
  4. (d)a numeric value that measures the fluctuations of a stock to changes in the overall stock market
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Official answer(d) a numeric value that measures the fluctuations of a stock to changes in the overall stock market

2023 · Q74Indian EconomyDigital Payments & Financial Inclusionmoderate

Consider the following statements : 1. The Self-Help Group (SHG) programme was originally initiated by the State Bank of India by providing microcredit to the financially deprived. 2. In an SHG, all members of a group take responsibility for a loan that an individual member takes. 3. The Regional Rural Banks and Scheduled Commercial Banks support SHGs. How many of the above statements are correct?

  1. (a)Only one
  2. (b)Only two
  3. (c)All three
  4. (d)None
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Official answer(b) Only two

2023 · Q75Indian EconomyHuman Development, Poverty & Employment Schemesmoderate

Consider the following statements : Statement–I : India’s public sector health care system largely focuses on curative care with limited preventive, promotive and rehabilitative care. Statement–II : Under India’s decentralized approach to health care delivery, the States are primarily responsible for organizing health services. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. (a)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is the correct explanation for Statement–I
  2. (b)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is not the correct explanation for Statement–I
  3. (c)Statement–I is correct but Statement–II is incorrect
  4. (d)Statement–I is incorrect but Statement–II is correct
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Official answer(b) Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is not the correct explanation for Statement–I